Wednesday, March 22, 2006

TN Hospitals Join 'Typo' Lawsuit

I mentioned last week that people were beginning to question whether or not a law signed by President Bush was actually a law or a collection of Constitutional violations. As of last Friday, 15 Tennessee hospitals joined with those who want the $39 billion deficit-reduction Act reviewed or repealed, calling it "unconstitutional", according to this report in The Hill.

The hospitals, which have been battling with the Health and Human Services agency for 10 years over billing issues, won $100 million lawsuit against HHS in September of last year - but the day after the President signed this "new law", HHS filed a motion to alter the court's judgement against them.

The confusion is growing faster than kudzu in summertime - and the HHS motion made Sen. Frist angry, according to the story:

"In addition to prompting a legal response that could obliterate a $39 billion spending-reduction bill, the HHS motion to overturn that decision attracted the ire of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and the entire Tennessee delegation.

Frist and his colleagues wrote to HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on March 10 to complain about the government’s motion.

“We request further explanation of what we believe to be a serious miscommunication by [Medicare representatives],” the lawmakers wrote."